HC Deb 15 January 1993 vol 216 cc852-3W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff were employed by his Department's press office in each year since 1979.

Mr. Eggar

Separate figures for the years before 1987 are not readily available. The number of staff in post in the Department's press office on 1 April since then has been as follows:

Number
1987 51
1988 51
1989 37
1990 37
1991 38
1992 135

1 The total subsequently increased to 42 following the transfer of staff and functions from the former Department of Energy. It includes 15 clerical and other support posts.